By J. D. McClatchy, from Sweet Theft, which was published in April by Counterpoint Press. The book collects notes and quotations compiled by the poet over three decades. McClatchy is the author of eight volumes of poetry.

X’s imagination works at short range.

X belongs to the Third World of poetry — undernourished, overpopulated, etc.

X is copperbottoming his career.

X is fading into notoriety.

X has floured his sauce.

X is eating his seed corn.

X’s style is pulled backward through a mangle.

X is Central Casting’s idea of Y.

X bit off more than he could eschew.

X is filling a much-needed gap.

X has written an unauthorized autobiography.

X is water under the burning bridge behind me.

Since X exists, we do not have to invent him!